How does Matthew 1:25 connect to Isaiah 7:14's prophecy?

Prophetic Foundation in Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call Him Immanuel.”

• The promise centers on a miraculous conception by a virgin

• The birth of a single male child is specified

• The child is identified with the name Immanuel, meaning “God with us,” indicating divine presence in human form

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Historical Fulfillment in Matthew 1:25

“But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.”

(Matthew 1:23 repeats Isaiah’s words, linking the prophecy directly.)

• Joseph’s restraint until after the birth confirms Mary’s virginity at the time of Jesus’ birth, satisfying the exact wording of Isaiah’s sign

• The birth of a male child matches the prophecy’s detail

• Joseph names the child Jesus, and Matthew immediately explains that He is also Immanuel, showing the dual naming foretold in Isaiah

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Key Parallels Highlighting the Connection

• Virgin conceives – Isaiah declares it, Matthew documents it

• Birth of a Son – both passages emphasize a singular male child

• Divine Name – Immanuel in Isaiah and Immanuel explained in Matthew, while the given name Jesus (“The Lord saves”) clarifies His mission

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Theological Significance

• Virgin birth underscores supernatural intervention, affirming Jesus as more than a human deliverer (Luke 1:26-35)

• Immanuel confirms God’s personal presence with humanity (John 1:14)

• The name Jesus highlights His saving work (Acts 4:12)

• Galatians 4:4 points to the fullness of time when God sent His Son, born of a woman, aligning perfectly with Isaiah’s sign

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Implications for Believers Today

• Confidence in the reliability of prophecy and its literal fulfillment

• Assurance that God keeps His promises with precise detail

• Recognition that Jesus embodies both the presence and the salvation of God, exactly as foretold